Adoption and Acceptance of New Systems: A Technology Acceptance Study in a Local Authority

Introducing new systems in public administrations requires rethinking traditional workflows and restructuring organizational frames. To achieve long-term efficiency and sustainability, public administrations must strategically adopt modern technologies, streamlining and synchronizing interconnected workflows. This process is complex and requires attention to both technological advancements and the critical role of employees in adapting to change. This research investigates the implementation of a document management system (DMS) within a local authority in Germany in order to identify the factors that influence the acceptance and use of the DMS. A qualitative research approach, based on Mayring's methodology, is applied to analyze the results of 26 surveys, which revealed various positive and negative factors impacting technology acceptance. Actor-Network Theory is used to examine the influences of both, human and non-human actors in the implementation process, providing a comprehensive understanding of the factors shaping the success of technology adoption.